Beauty in Balance

Sweetness to Acidity

Several factors affect the impression of a Riesling wine’s sweetness on the palate. As residual sugar increases, the impression of sweetness increases. The sweetness from the sugar interacts with:

The acidity (malic and tartaric acids) and the level of dissolved carbon dioxide, which offers a sense of freshness

The phenolic content, which offers astringency and body

The pH, which accentuates the expression of the acids and reduces the sensation of sweetness as the pH goes down.

The ethanol content, which brings a feeling of weight, warmth and dryness on the finish

For example, a Riesling with 1.5% residual sugar can appear either dry or sweet. If the wine is 12.5% alcohol with a pH level below 3.0 and an acid level above 9 grams/Liter, the wine will appear to be quite dry. If the wine is 10% alcohol with a pH level of 3.3 and an acid level around 6 grams/Liter, the wine will seem relatively sweet.